1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to measuring devices and, more particularly, to a device for providing a precise dosage of medicine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For centuries people have been taking medication cure their ills. When this medication is in liquid form a person must ingest a particular dosage of the medicine. Most people just use an ordinary spoon. When using a spoon a person would normally pour the medicine into the spoon and ingest it. This method presents many problems. The major problems are the inaccurate dose of medication ingested, waste due to spillage, irregularities in the spoon size and inexact measurement of the medicine.
In an attempt to solve these problems, a device was developed resembling a closed ended test tube having a spoon connected at its open end. This device was designed to provide accurate doses of medication. It does not, however, provide any means for removing any of the medication which may adhere to the walls of the test nozzle and thereby also provides inaccurate dosages.
Another device designed to solve these problems resembles a syringe having markings indicating dosage amounts. This device includes a nozzle which is placed in a medicine bottle as the syringe draws the medication from the bottle. If an inaccurate amount is removed the nozzle is placed in the bottle again and the excess medicine is returned to the bottle. The nozzle is again removed and then placed in the mouth. The plunger is depressed and the medicine is squirted into a patient's mouth. There are many problems with such a device. Firstly, any excess medicine drawn into the nozzle comes in contact with both the tube and the air. This may contaminate the medication. If this medicine is returned to the bottle the entire bottle may become contaminated and if it is thrown out the medicine is wasted. This may end up being very expensive as the price of medicine is continually increasing. Secondly, the amount of medicine measured is not accurate since, when the plunger is depressed, some medicine will remain in the nozzle of the syringe. Furthermore, if the nozzle is not correctly positioned in the patient's mouth or the plunger is depressed too hard, injury or choking may result to the patient by providing a stream of medicine against a sensitive area of the mouth or directly into the throat.
It is, therefore, needed to produce a measuring spoon which solves the aforementioned problems and provides improvements over the presently known devices in order to precisely measure and supply exact dosages of medication.